1) Below we have percentage-points-change in personal consumption
as a share of GDP (via
Matthew Yglesias). It shows that the largest increase in
"personal consumption as a share of GDP" came in the 1980's. In
the 2000's, consumption as a share of GDP didn't increase much,
it actually remained steady.

In 2007 the average consumer unit had $63,000 in income of which
$987 was spent on “Audio and visual equipment and services.” In
2000, that was $44,649 (these are nominal dollars) and $622—the
share is flat

2) Another chart (via
Modeled Behavior), shows that Americans actually spend less
than ever on retail, relative to their income, going back to
1959. Even during the booming 90's, retail spending as a
percentage of income was far less than back in the 1960's.

3) Yet here's a healthcare twist (via
Modeled Behavior). Despite chart #2 above, Personal
expenditures have risen as a % of GDP (at the fastest pace in the
1980's, as explained by chart #1). Now if the increase shown
below wasn't spent on more retail, then what was it spent on?

The Economist: Health care explains much of the rise in
consumption, but none of its subsequent decline. Real personal
consumption on health services has risen 3.9% since the recession
began in the fourth quarter of 2007.

We can replace the shopping-bag-burdened American stereotype with
that of a more sober hospital-bound one.